Art of fabricating articles of decorative plastic elements



Jan. 22, 1946. STQRCH 2,393,486

ART OF FABRICATING ARTICLES OF DECORATIVE PLASTIC ELEMENTS Filed Jan. 5, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 1946 ART OF rannrca'rmc ARTICLES or DECORATIVE rms'rrc ELEMENTS Max B. Starch, Belle Harbor, Long Island, N. Y. Application J anuary' 5, 19, Serial No. 517,286

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the art of producing articles such as wall structures and handbags wherein relatively rigid plastic ornaments are disposed in side by side contact with each other to produce the walls, with the ornaments being interconnected in a highly flexible manner.

Heretofore such walls or handbags have been produced in the manner exemplified, for instance, by Patent No. 2,256,645 issued September 23, 1941, for Decorative material. The practice, prior to this invention, was to separately mold the deco rative elements, and then to string the same on cords or tapes. Each decorative element was anchored in place by two tapes, each tape passing through two closely fitting holes in the element. Hence a multitude of threading operations was required, since each wall was composed of many of these elements for ornamental reasons and also for flexibility. A good handbag requires a high degree of flexibility, and since the decorative elements are rigid, this has always presented a problem, since such handbags are not provided with gussets, and because the elements must be disposed closely side by side to completely conceal the lining, and preferably also the tapes.

Accordingly, the present invention affords an improvement in the art whereby the decorative, rigid elements are secured to the tapes without the necessity of a multitude of threading operations.

Preferably, the decorative elements are secured to the tapes so as to be slidable therealong within narrow limits sufllcient to add materially to the flexibility of the wall structure. In certain cases, the slidability of the elements along their tapes is also utilized to facilitate the fabrication of the handbag by loosening or tightening the tapes when they are being interconnected at their ends or secured to adjacent structure.

It is, therefore, another object of the invention to provide an improvement in the art which shall permit the retention of these advantages while causing an arranged fleld of the preformed decorative elements to be connected en masse to a tape net work in a single operation that saves time and labor and assures uniformity throughout.

general type herein referred to has been to expose the tapes in part and to attempt, of necessity, to utilize the tapes as an ornamental feature, the present tendency is to cover and conceal the tapes, first because they are merely structural matter, and second because they tend to soil and While the early practice in handbags of the.

wear and detract from the all-plastic appearance of the handbag. Such concealment of the tapes created another difllculty, namely, the holes for stringing the tapes could not be molded without undue expense in the marginal flanges that lie at right angles to the bodies of the elements. In fact, the practice was to punch such holes which caused considerable breakage of the flanges, and in any case, unduly weakened the same. It was not considered feasible to use a complex mold for forming these holes. Considerations of cost require the gang molding of the elements in a simple mold.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to avoid these difliculties and to provide an improvement in the art whereby openings for slidably receiving the tapes are provided in decorative elements produced by gang molding in a simple mold, and in which the additional advantage is obtained that stringing on the tapes is avoided.

In all cases where the holes for stringing the tapes were formed by molding, not only were the tapes exposed, as already stated, but these holes had' to be spaced inward of the edges or flanges of the decorative elements. Only where the holes were struck out in the flanges could the flexible tapes be concealed to secure the elements at their very edges to prevent an edge of one element from rising or protruding with rspect to an edge of an adjoining element, resulting in an uneven or somewhat broken surface.

It is, therefore, another object of the invention to provide an improvement in the art whereby the holes for the flexible tapes can be located at the flanges and the tapes concealed by a structure which can be made in a simple, inexpensive manner.

Still another object of the invention is to furnish an improvement in the art whereby handbags having a bottom wall can be assembled by tapes which need be merely pulled or tensioned to draw the bottom wall into assembled position coincident with the bringing together of side wall portions to provide a continuous wall, so that the tapes need be tied or anchored at a minimum number of points to maintain the handbag assembled.

The invention provides improved structures and methods for avoiding the difliculties and attaining the advantages and objects noted.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invenshort of the section tion consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a decorative element embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the element as changed by heat and pressure to provide tape holding openings.

Fig. 5 is an edge view thereof.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the broken line 8-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 shows an initial step in assembling tapes with an arranged field of the elements.

Fig. 8 shows the resultant product, with the elements corresponding to the showing in Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 shows the succeeding step of producing the tape holding openings in a die, while securing the tapes to a multiplicity of decorative elements arranged in a field.

Fig. 10 is a plan schematic view showing the decorative elements retained in a field while the tapes are applied as in Fig. '7, but in an arrangement such that a handbag can be produced with a minimum of labor, by pulling up or tensioning certain of the tape loops.

Fig. 11 is a side view of a handbag produced according to the method shown in Fig. 10.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful device may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawings, therefore, are submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, l5 denotes a decorative element embodying the invention. The same consists of plastic and forms a rigid device comprising a plane section l6 having a marginal flange I! at right angles thereto. This flange is continuous except fo certain interruptions incident to the tabs l8. Apair of these tabs are provided centrally at each side of the element, opposed pairs of tabs being in alinement with each other and being disposed at right angles to the central plane of the other tabs. The tabs of each pair are parallel to each other and are at right angles to the section l6. They project inward with respect to the flange l1 and extend substantially above the latter. They are formed integrally with the section l6 and with a portion of the flange l'l, being separated from the flange by open ended slots or notches l9 which stop l6. Thus it is seen that the structure I5 is one which is adapted for gang molding in a simple die. The element l5 can be easily stripped from the die, being free of any undercut portions.

As shown in Figs. 4 to 6, there is a decorative element 20 embodying the invention, and produced from the element l5. Here the tabs l8 have been folded or bent toward each other to provide upright portions 2| and horizontally disposed portions 22, the edges of the latter being the broken line in contact with each other at 23. Due to the original spacing between the tabs l8, there results an opening 24 whose width is sufficient to freely receive a tape. Due to the height of the tabs l8, the portions 22 come together along the plane of the edge of the flange H or slightly below the same in Figs. 5 and 6, leaving an opening 24 which freely allows for the thickness of the tape. By reason of the notches IS, the portions 2| are adapted to curveas the forming pressure may require, without causing deformation or breakage of the flange H or distortion of the portions 21, 22. Since the tabs are partially connected to the flange l'l they reenforce the latter at the edges of the adjacent holes or interruptions of the flange, to thus avoid breakage especially as these holes are open to the free edge of the flange. When the portions 22 are pressed against each other at 23, there is a tendency for lateral flow of the softened plastic, so that a projection may occur beyond the edge of the element 20. Hence the edges of the portions 22 as well as of the tabs l8 are beveled or curved as at 25, whereby the portions may not protrude beyond the edge of the element 20 and prevent adjoining elements from lying in close edge to edge contact with each other. Since the notches l9 terminate in spaced relation to the plane section to, they will not be noticeable when a wall of the elements 20 constructed.

The essential utility of the devices I! and 20 will be perceived on considering Figs. '7, 8 and 9. There is shown an arranged fleld 26 of elements l5, which is maintained by a die or form of a suitable shape according to the article to be produced, and into which the elements l5 may be rapidly inserted. Thereupon tapes 21 are placed in one direction to lie between the tabs I8 of all the elements, and then another set of like tapes 28 may be laid down in a similar manner in a direction at right angles to the tapes 21 and overlying the latter. Now all the tabs 3 may be simultaneously subjected to heat and pressure to bend them downward according to Fig. 4, whereupon there is produced an article 29 according to the invention. In this article 29 all of the tapes are slidably secured in the holes 24 formed by the portions 2|, 22 which thus produce eyes 30 up to the very edges of the decorative elements 20, but without protruding so that the elements are adapted to lie in contact with each other. Thus the tapes retain the elements to prevent them from tilting and upraising their front edge and thus disturbing the uniformity of the finished surface provided by the wall sections l6.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 9, there is shown a die 3| for the structures of Figs. 7 and 8. The same may include a platen 32 having a marginal lip or low flange 33, defining a fleld in which the elements l5 are set up, and the tapes 21, 28 applied all as shown in Fig. '7. Now, with the tapes thus freely applied and retained, a head 34 of the die is applied, having a heating means 35 which may include an electrical coil and thermostatic control means (not shown) whereby this head is maintained at a temperature just sufficient to soften the tabs IE on an application thereto which ma last only a small fraction of a minute. This head 34 may have a series of projections or heads 36 for the tabs of each individual element l5, each head 36 being suitably shaped to bend the tabs to produce the eyes 30. For instance, each head may have a cylindrically curved concave bottom surface 31 and parallel tapered lips 38 which may be so thin as to be adapted to enter the notches Iii if desired without disturbing the flange I'I. Each head 31 may be smaller than the inside of the flange I! and may be shaped like a cross with a recess 31 for each pair of tabs, there being such a recess in each arm of the cross. Thus the head may press the cars 30 to an elevation below that of the top edges of the flange I! with-- out distorting the latter. n the inner face of the head 34, a sheet of insulation 39 may be provided, extending around the heads 3%, to prevent any possible softening of the flange l1. The application of heat and pressure is such that the tapes N, 28 are not in any way damaged, and the plastic i not caused to adhere thereto. In fact, the plastic need not stick together at the meeting edges 23. Where the tapes may tend to twist, they may be secured to the base plate 33 as by any spring clips 4% or other releasable means. Because the lip 33 is so low, the tapes til, it may freely extend from and beyond the die and hence may be applied in a series of loops back andforth as shown in Fig. 10. When the operation of Fig. 9 is completed, the structure may be removed andis like that of Fig. 8.

Referring now to Fig. 10, there is shown an arranged field of elements l5 according to the practice of Figs. 7 and 8, for producing a handbag in an improved manner. Thi fleld is generally rectangular to provide a section 42 providing one side wall, vertical rows of elements 43 to provide end walls, and sections 44, 45 which come together to provide the-other side wall. Coincident with the section 42 there is arow of elements 46 to provide a bottom wall of the handbag. While the field of elements 4| is disposed in a platen 32 shaped to fit the sections 42, 43, 4t, 4t and 46, the tapes are applied to lie between the tabs it. Thus there are horizontal tapes 41. There is a tape, a part of which lies horizontally at lill in bottom wall section 46 and vertically in the end wall sections 43. A tape 50 extends vertically along rows of elements in sections 42 and 45. Tapes 5t, 52 each make almost two complete loops in sections 42 and 45. A tape 53 makes almost two complete loops through sections 42 and 44 and tape 54 makes three loops through these sections. All of the loops pass through the elements of the section 46. Where flat or strip-like tapes are used, twisting thereof may be prevented by clipping the same as at 40 in Fig. 9, where the tapes leave the elements. The advantage of the loop formations is that time is saved, since it is not necessary to handle many pieces of tape. Fabrication of the handbag is speeded up' because there are relatively few tape ends to secure by knotting or tacking, which always afford the danger of accidental opening or loosening up. The handbag itself may now be produced .by pulling up on the loops progressively along the diiferent tapes until virtually all slack is eliminated. In this connection, the importance of the easy slldability of the tapes in the eyes 30 will be apparent. The handbag produced will now be described.

In Fig. 11 is shown a handbag 6B embodying the invention. Upon suitably pulling up the various tapes as above described the handbag 60 is formed having identical side walls it one of which is produced by section 42, and the other of which by sections 44, 45 which meet together; end walls 62 formed by the respective sections 43, and a bottom wall 63 formed by the section 46. Thus the handbag is of generally rectangular shape. The horizontal tapes 4! are knotted manner, as illustratively indicated at 65.

together at their ends as at 64, and the free ends of the tapes 49, 5!, 52, 53, and 54 are secured by tacking or stitching to a lining which may be droppedinto the bag or to strip elements 66 at the mouth of the bag, or in any other suitable It is noted that there are no knots or other securing points such as 64, .65 at the bottom of the bag, where the immediate strain is greatest. Any suitable closure, such as a slide fastener (not shown) may be provided at the mouth of the handbag.

In the handbag til, the outer surfaces for the walls ti, 62 and 53 are afiorded by the flat sections it of the decorative elements at, these sections it being suitably ornamented by molded designs (not shown). The interiors of the decorative elements face inward and are not shown, and likewise the flanges ll thereof are concealed except at the edges of the handbag. The elements lie closely together in contact with each other whereby the notches it and the tapes are likewise concealed, being seen only at the edges of the handbag. There small portions of the tapes are exposed because the adjoining elements 20 lie at right angles to each other. These por tions lie close in, as they are under tension. In all other respects, the tapes are fully concealed. The bag possesses ample flexibility because there is always some yield in the tapes and because the flanges ill are small in depth sothat angular movement between the elements can occur to promote flexibility. Nevertheless, the wall will not .break in such a manner as to permit one edge of an element to protrude outwardly beyond an edge of an adjoining element, since the tapes hold the elements together at their very edges, because the eyes til extend to the edges of the elements.

It will now be seen that the invention comprises new structures in laced decorative elements as well as in the elements themselves and in the handbags provided therefrom, as well as new methods for producing certain of these structures. The essential feature of the new methods is that the plastic elements are molded to provide projecting tabs aifording alined openings in different elements, these being arranged in rows and columns according to the design or structure of the article to be produced, whereupon tapes or laces are placed in said openings along the rows and columns, and. finally heat and pressure are applied simultaneously to all the tabs, above the tapes, to soften and bend the tabs to provide closed eyes for slidingly holding the tapes whereby the elements are thus interconnected to produce a wall without the laborious stringing heretofore practiced. It will be noted that these ears may remain split for flexibility in the elements themselves or may form autogenous joints between the tabs ire-enforcing the element at the interrupted flange. The process described lends itself readily to a further novel process whereby the tapes are laid down in loops, so that a handbag, for example, can be constructed by lacing continuously interconnecting vertical columns of elements in opposite side walls while other lacing continuously interconnectshorizontal rows of elements in opposite side walls, with certain of this lacing also connecting elements in the bottom wall and in end walls.

marginal flange having alined holes open at the edges of the flange and having tabs adjacent to said holes, placing a tape or cord member in said alined holes so that it lies adjacent to the tabs, then applying heat and pressure only to the tabs to soiten'and bend the same over the member without otherwise affecting the latter, to thus secure the element to the member.

2. A handbag having a wall having a series of laced plastic decorative elements, each element having a front wall and a marginal flange, the

flange having alined holes open at the edge of the flange for receiving the lacing, pairs of opposed tabs integral with the front wall and being disposed adjacent to the holes, each tab bein partially connected to the flange at an edge of a hole for reentorcing the flange, lacing in the holes, and the tabs of each pair having angular portions extending toward each other to form an eye for the lacing to thus mount the element 10 thereon. 

